Shift indicator system for vehicle

Abstract

A shift indicator system for a vehicle comprises an engine speed sensor, an engine speed comparator for comparing the engine speed detected by the engine speed sensor with a preset value, an indicator which provides an indication for directing upshifting when the engine speed is not lower than the preset value, a delay circuit which inhibits the indicator from providing the indication for directing upshifting until the engine speed continues to be not lower than the preset value for a predetermined time interval, an engine speed increasing rate detector for detecting the rate of increase of the engine speed, an engine load increasing rate detector for detecting the rate of increase of the engine load, and a delay time setting circuit which receives the outputs of the engine speed increasing rate detector and the engine load increasing rate detector, and makes the predetermined time interval shorter as the engine speed increasing rate increases and longer as the engine load increasing rate increases.

We claim: 
     
       1. A shift indicator system for a vehicle comprising an engine speed detecting means, an engine speed comparator means for comparing the engine speed detected by the engine speed detector with a preset value, an indicating means which provides an indication for directing upshifting when the engine speed is not lower than the preset value, a delay means for inhibiting the indicating means from providing the indication for directing upshifting for a predetermined time interval, an engine speed increasing rate detecting means for detecting the rate of increase of the engine speed, an engine load increasing rate detecting means for detecting the rate of increase of the engine load, and a delay time setting means which receives outputs of the engine speed increasing rate detecting mans and the engine load increasing rate detecting means, and comprises a first correction means for making the predetermined time interval shorter as the engine speed increasing rate increases and a second correction means for making the predetermined time interval longer as the engine load increasing rate increases. 
     
     
       2. A shift indicator system as defined in claim 1 in which said indicating means is permitted to provide the indication when the engine load is not heavier than a preset engine load. 
     
     
       3. A shift indicator system as defined in claim 2 in which said predetermined time interval is corrected by said second correction means depending on the maximum engine load increasing rate within a constant engine speed region near a predetermined engine speed. 
     
     
       4. A shift indicator system as defined in claim 2 in which said engine load increasing rate is detected through the rate of change in the throttle opening. 
     
     
       5. A shift indicator system as defined in claim 2 in which said predetermined time interval is corrected by said first correction means depending on the engine speed increasing rate at a predetermined engine speed. 
     
     
       6. A shift indicator system as defined in claim 5 in which said predetermined time interval is corrected by said second correction means depending on the maximum engine load increasing rate within a constant engine speed region near a predetermined engine speed. 
     
     
       7. A shift indicator system as defined in claim 6 in which said engine load increasing rate is detected through the rate of change in the throttle opening. 
     
     
       8. A shift indicator system as defined in claim 5 in which said engine load increasing rate is detected through the rate of change in the throttle opening. 
     
     
       9. A shift indicator system as defined in claim 1 in which said predetermined tie interval is corrected by said second correction means depending on the maximum engine load increasing rate within a constant engine speed region near a predetermined engine speed. 
     
     
       10. A shift indicator system as defined in claim 1 in which said engine load increasing rate is detected through the rate of change in the throttle opening. 
     
     
       11. A shift indicator system as defined in claim 1 in which said predetermined time interval is corrected by said first correction means depending on the engine speed increasing rate at a predetermined engine speed. 
     
     
       12. A shift indicator system for a vehicle comprising an engine speed detecting means, an engine speed comparator means for comparing the engine speed detected by the engine speed detector with a preset value, an indicating means which provides an indication for directing upshifting when the engine speed is not lower than the preset value, a delay means which inhibits the indicating means from providing the indication for directing upshifting until the engine speed continues to be not lower than the preset value for a predetermined time interval, an engine speed increasing rate detecting means for detecting the rate of increase of the engine speed, an engine load increasing rate detecting means for detecting the rate of increase of the engine load, and a first correction means which receives an output of the engine speed increasing rate detecting means and outputs a first correction signal for making the predetermined time interval shorter as the engine speed increasing rate increases, a second correction means which receives the output of the engine load increasing rate detecting means, and outputs a second correction signal for making the predetermined time interval longer as the engine load increasing rate increases, and an adder means which receives the first and second corrections signals and determines said predetermined time interval on the basis of the signal obtained by adding the first and second correction signals. 
     
     
       13. A shift indicator system as defined in claim 1, wherein said delay time setting means comprises circuit means for producing a delay time signal corresponding to the engine load increasing rate in accordance with a predetermined rate delay time function and which acts to make said predetermined time interval longer only when the engine load increasing rate increases.